The recently announced 2018 national matric pass rate in South Africa of 78% made for some great headlines… but many say the truth is nothing to celebrate. That great pass rate is based on rather low expectations. In South Africa, qualifying for tertiary studies now requires only 40% in your home language, only 50% in […]

Author of such books as ‘African Tears’ and ‘Beyond Tears’, Cathy Buckle last night posted a letter on social media to her friends and family… except she couldn’t post it herself because she’s in Zimbabwe. So a friend posted it on her behalf. This is her letter… Dear Family and Friends, This has been one […]

South African grain and red meat farmers are bracing for hard times after dry weather conditions and an outbreak of the highly contagious foot and mouth disease suspended meat exports, officials said on Friday. Maize prices have climbed amid concerns that dry conditions in the main part of South Africa’s maize belt have delayed crop […]

Now this is something you don’t get in a lot of countries! Supermarket staff that burst into song! But it’s been known to happen around South Africa – at supermarkets and petrol stations. And today lucky shoppers in KwaZulu-Natal were delighted when they were graced with a staff performance. Durban artist Sam Cross was doing […]

Congratulations to the South African Police Service (SAPS) who have today arrested suspects in the Menzi Primary School robbery incident which rocked South Africa earlier this week. The stolen goods have been found at a shop in downtown Johannesburg. The brand new state-of-the-art school – which cost R105,508,403 to build – had been officially opened […]

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile operator Econet Wireless said on Friday the government had ordered it to shut down its internet services until further notice following days of deadly protests over steep fuel price hikes. (Please see UPDATE at bottom of page.) Zimbabweans accuse President Emmerson Mnangagwa of failing to live up to pre-election pledges […]

PRETORIA – Saudi Arabia plans to build an oil refinery and a petrochemicals plant in South Africa as part of $10 billion of investments in the country, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih said on Friday. In comments following a meeting with South Africa’s energy minister Jeff Radebe in Pretoria, Al-Falih said Saudi oil would be […]

The recent horrific fire that tore through Wupperthal, destroying much of the historical village near Clanwilliam, devastating over 60 shops and homes, and tragically leaving at least 200 people homeless… left the Cape West Coast community desperate for assistance and in dire need of the basic essentials. Fortunately South Africans have stepped up to help […]

President Cyril Ramaphosa has paid tribute to the anti-apartheid activist and journalist Hugh Lewin, describing him as a valiant soldier who fought fearlessly for human rights and justice. The acclaimed author, who was 79-years-old, passed away at his home on Wednesday. Lewin worked as a journalist at the Natal Witness, Drum Magazine and the Golden […]

French bank Societe Generale said on Friday it agreed to sell its South African unit offering custody, trustee and clearing services to South Africa-listed bank ABSA as part of a strategy to review its scope of businesses. Societe Generale did not disclose the amount of the transaction. The French bank also signed an agreement with […]

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu’s office has dismissed Angelo Agrizzi’s claim that the Minister was among the directors of Dyambu Holdings – the company that gave birth to Bosasa. “This is incorrect and false,” said spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya. Agrizzi, who is the former Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Bosasa, made the claim at […]

On June 23, 2016 the United Kingdom held a referendum to decide whether it should leave or remain in the European Union. More than 30 million people took part in the vote with 51.9% choosing to leave and 48.1% to remain. Six months later, the new Prime Minister Theresa May delivered a speech in which […]

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s rand fell against the dollar on Thursday after the Reserve Bank left interest rates unchanged and sounded less hawkish, citing an improved inflation outlook. Stocks closed lower, led by a slump in retailers after poor sales updates from Mr Price, Woolworths and Truworths. At 1522 GMT, the rand traded at 13.8000 […]

The body of one of the four missing South Africans in Mozambique has been found, according to the Middelburg Observer. The body is that of a young man, and was found close to where the group of South African citizens were last seen on Monday. It has been taken to the morgue in Maputo, says […]

OUAGADOUGOU – A Canadian kidnapped this week in a restive region of Burkina Faso has been found dead, a spokesman for the security ministry told Reuters on Thursday. The man was abducted after nightfall on Tuesday by a dozen gunmen on a mining site owned by Vancouver-based Progress Minerals in the northeast near the border […]

Three rangers have been arrested in the Kruger National Park for alleged rhino poaching. The South African National Parks (SANParks) has welcomed the arrests as a “success”, closing in on those within its very ranks who are “sabotaging” the Park’s efforts to protect rhino from poachers. The three suspects were arrested after a joint effort […]

More witnesses have revealed what they saw or heard last night when a meteor apparently exploded over Cape Town, as reported by SAPeople. With the recent fires in the Overberg region, it  turns out that many feared it was another flare. Janeke Maroudas was sitting at home in Vermont, Hermanus and captured this photo: “I […]

NAIROBI – Dual South African and British citizen, Luke Potter, was among the 14 people killed by Somali militants in a raid on a posh hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya yesterday. He died, along with an American who had survived the 9/11 attacks and two best friends from Kenya who worked to help Somalia. Since […]

It’s all happening in Hermanus. Last week there were flames reaching the skies as wildfires burned out of control, and tonight the sky was alight with a blaze as an apparent meteor exploded above the seaside town in the Western Cape of South Africa. One local resident wrote on a Whatsapp message that’s gone viral: […]

During my visit to South Africa a few months ago, a friend and her friend (a really nice guy) picked me up from Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. We were introduced. Let’s say his name was Grant. He then drove us to his house… steadily going faster and FASTER until we were hurtling along […]

JOHANNESBURG – Popular South African blogger, Meruschka Govender – who was known as Mzansi Girl – sadly passed away yesterday. The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA) expressed its “profound and deepest condolences” at the news that the proudly South African travel blogger, influencer and Joburg enthusiast has died. No cause of death was disclosed. Through her […]

Fire has been much in the news lately. Runaway fires in the Western Cape, fanned by gale force winds, have become an annual summer phenomenon, amidst much speculation as to the causes… writes marine conservation photographer Jean Tresfon. Some are clearly cases of arson, others just sheer stupidity or negligence. Over the last few weeks there […]

The Gauteng Department of Education has challenged communities to join South African law enforcement agencies in hunting the criminals who robbed a new state-of-the-art school in Tsakane, in Ekurhuleni on Tuesday… less than a week after it was officially opened. The school – which cost R105 508 403 to build – was opened by Gauteng […]

South Africa’s popular peri-peri chicken restaurant Nando’s may create fantastic adverts, but according to a global study by World Animal Protection (WAP), they are performing “very poorly” when it comes to taking care of their chickens. In fact, out of nine companies that were assessed, Nando’s came third to last, behind other iconic brands such […]

The latest South African Police Service (SAPS) recruitment drive closes on Friday. The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Francois Beukman, has urged matriculants who are keen on careers in law enforcement, to apply at their nearest police station before the 18 January deadline this week. “Matriculants who wants to make a contribution to […]